The invention provides methods and compositions comprising steroids or analogs, such as analogs of androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol (“AED”) or 1,3,5(10)-estratriene-17α-ethynyl-3β,17β-diol (“EED”) for use as agents to modulate the biological activity of the androgen receptor (“AR”) or to treat androgen responsive or related conditions such as prostate cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy (“BPH”).
Prostate cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed non-cutaneous malignancy in aging males and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in North American men. Androgen ablation has been the cornerstone of treatment for advanced forms of this disease, typically by a combination of surgical or medical antiandrogen therapy. Antiandrogens that are commonly used include hydroxyflutamide (HF), cyproterone acetate and bicalutamide (casodex). Androgen ablation treatments are used to reduce the level of endogenous androgens. However, most androgen-dependent prostate cancer cases appear to progress to androgen-independent malignancies. Limiting the availability of androgens to regional or metastatic prostate cancers usually induces remission, but after some time the cancer often becomes refractory to androgen ablation treatments. It has been suggested that genetic changes of the AR gene may contribute to a short response to anti-androgen therapy. However, the mechanisms responsible for conversion of prostate cancer cells to an androgen independent condition are not fully characterized.
BPH is a disease that affects approximately 60% of males older than about 60 years of age. An elevated accumulation of male hormones such as dihydrotestosterone (“DHT”) in prostate tissue may contribute to prostate enlargement. The accumulation of DHT appears to result from elevated intracellular DHT receptor levels. The increase is associated with an elevation of estrogen levels relative to androgen levels, which decrease with age. The urological symptoms consist in an elevated frequency of miction due to elevated residual urine. This is typically accompanied by a weak flow of urine, a time-delayed start of miction, and repeated infections of the bladder and kidneys. BPH treatment includes surgery to remove the obstruction, but this is not always effective or has unwanted side-effects, e.g., incontinence or decreased libido. Other treatments such as androgen ablation by bilateral orchiectomy or androgen ablation chemotherapy are too invasive or have unwanted side-effects. Less invasive methods exist, e.g. balloon dilatation. treatment with hyperthermia or microwaves, but they can have limited efficacy.
Chemotherapy for conditions such as prostate cancer and BPH, or their symptoms, include administering androgen synthesis inhibitors such as 5α reductase inhibitors to inhibit production of sex hormones such as testosterone or dihydrotestosterone, or administering Naftopidil for dysuria. Treatment with 5α reductase inhibitors has been combined with other treatments such as anti-estrogens, aromatase (estrogen synthetase) inhibitors, inhibitors of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase or luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonists or antagonists. Other proposed treatments include administering aromatase inhibitors such as 4-hydroxyandrostene-3,17-dione. Chemotherapy typically has drawbacks. It can have unwanted side effects, particularly in older patients or it can become ineffective over time. Various treatments and their limitations have been described, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,059,630, 4,310,523, 4,659,695, 4,970,204, 5,137,882, 5,372,996, 5,494,914, 5,561,124, 5,593,981, 5,994,334, 5,994,335, 5,998,377, 6,015,806, 6,093,722, 6,110,906 and European publication EP 0 401 653.
Biological properties of AED and related steroid compounds have been disclosed, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,833,793, 2,911,418, 3,148,198, 3,471,480, 3,710,795, 3,711,606 3,976,691, 4,268,441, 4,427,649, 4,542,129, 4,666,898, 4,898,694, 4,956,355, 4,978,532, 5,001,119, 5,043,165, 5,077,284, 5,028,631, 5,110,810, 5,157,031, 5,162,198, 5,175,154, 5,206,008, 5,277,907, 5,292,730, 5,296,481, 5,372,996, 5,387,583, 5,407,684, 5,424,463, 5,461,042, 5,478,566, 5,506,223, 5,518,725, 5,527,788, 5,527,789, 5,532,230, 5,559,107, 5,562,910, 5,583,126, 5,585,371, 5,587,369, 5,591,736, 5,593,981, 5,610,150, 5,635,496, 5,641,766, 5,641,768, 5,656,621, 5,660,835, 5,677,366, 5,686,438, 5,696,106, 5,700,793, 5,707,983, 5,709,878, 5,710,143, 5,714,481, 5,728,688, 5,736,537, 5,744,462, 5,753,237, 5,756,482, 5,776,921, 5,776,923, 5,780,460, 5,795,880, 5,798,347, 5,798,348, 5,804,576, 5,807,848, 5,807,849, 5,811,418, 5,824,313, 5,824,668, 5,824,671, 5,827,841, 5,837,269, 5,837,700, 5,843,932, 5,846,963, 5,856,340, 5,859,000, 5,869,090, 5,863,910, 5,872,114, 5,872,147 and 5,910,407; German patent numbers 2035738 and 2705917; PCT publication numbers WO 95/21617, WO 97/48367, WO 98/05338, WO 98/50040, WO 98/50041, WO 98/58650; European publication number 0020029.
The androgen receptor and co-activators such as ARA70, ARA24, ARA54, ARA55 and Rb, and methods to use them have been described, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,789,170, 5,614,620; International publication number WO 00/04152.
The invention methods and compositions accomplish one or more of several objects. Invention objects include providing methods and compositions to inhibit proliferation of prostate cancer cells a subject. Other objects are to provide methods to make and use compositions and formulations comprising EED analogs or other compounds disclosed herein. Additional objects will be apparent from the disclosure.